Welcome to August and I hope that everyone had a blessed and peaceful Ramadan. The hot summer months have not been too quiet on the clean energy front. Jordan is leading the change in PV and with CEBC member First Solar are set to build the largest PV plant in the Middle East. There is a push for innovation in the region too with Morocco and IRESEN announcing $2.3 million in R&D funding for projects in solar thermal and CSP and Dubai looking to reward a lucky research institution with a prize of $1 million for a solar desalination solution. 'Smart is the word on everyone's lips in the region and as smart meter roll out continues, these technologies will soon enable us as individuals to control our energy and water usage and, hopefully, lowering those high GCC consumption rates. At CEBC, we are a gearing up for a busy run up to Christmas with our annual event in December and many conferences and events before then.

In the meantime, this month's newsletter pulls together some great reports on renewables but also investment and finance so, happy reading, and we hope to see you at an event shortly.

Chief Executive Officer

Clean Energy Business Council

Smart Cities - Does Smart Mean Sustainable? | Envirocities e-Magazine

Smart Cities' is definitely the new buzz concept around town, especially in light of Dubai's successful 2020 EXPO bid. Smart as a word itself is interesting. It is politically neutral unlike the left-leaning connotations of 'green' and appeals to a broad audience. Who doesn't want to be smart? It's a marketer's dream! For urban spaces, it is the new standard to be measured by. [Download in english][Download in arabic]

Launch of MENA Cleantech Survey Report | EY

CEBC is pleased to partner with Ernst & Young to publish the Annual MENA Cleantech Survey, a unique study which gauges the sentiment of industry experts, manufacturers, investors and regulators regarding the clean tech industry and renewable energy implementation. The study identifies key issues, the most important market drivers and prospects for growth in the Middle East and North Africa region.

The results of the survey will be revealed during the CEBC Annual Conference taking place on 1 December 2014 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. Conference delegates and guests will be privy to a preview of the report and gain exclusive insights from the EY team of experts.

The Global Opportunity Report is an exciting new endeavour developed in partnership between DNV GL and Monday Morning Global Institute. The intent of the Global Opportunity Report is to demonstrate that in every risk there is opportunity, and that every true opportunity is sustainable, meaning that they are chances to create long term value for society, not just short term profit. The Report will be inspired by Opportunity Panels meeting in eight cities on five continents (Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Johannesburg, London, Mumbai, Oslo, San Francisco and S�o Paulo). Each panel will consist of 25-30 creative, innovative, and solution oriented leaders from Business, Governments, Academia, Civil Society/NGOs and youth organisations.

CEBC is delighted to support this initiative and participate in the MENA region panel of experts taking place in Abu Dhabi on 9 September 2014.

Partners

CEBC Events

Financing Sustainable Energy Solutions

October 2014

[Details to come]

3rd Annual CEBC Conference

Opportunities, Growth, Partnership

1 December 2014

Shangri La Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai

CEBC's 3rd Annual Conference 2014 provides a unique platform that brings together key stakeholders from the private and public renewable energy sectors in the Middle East and North Africa to further the development of new sustainable policies, strategies and technologies across the region. You will meet senior officials, government dignitaries, and global experts from the fields of smart grids, energy and water efficiency, and renewable energy.

Guest speakers with proven experience in projects both regional and internationally will highlight case studies from countries including Qatar, UAE, Jordan, Bahrain and Morocco, and cover topics such as Smart Grid and Smart Metering, Energy and Water Efficiency, Financing & Project Development, Distributed Energy, Solar Developments, and Renewable Desalination and District Cooling Options.

Rising investor interest in clean energy solutions and a growing urgency for renewable solutions across emerging Islamic markets are boosting opportunities for new players to enter the industry - and creating a market for Islamic investors to take advantage of the close fit between the 'clean and green' sector and the socially responsible foundations of Shariah compliant investing. [Read more]

The Socio-economic Benefits of Solar and Wind Energy | IRENA

The Socio-economic Benefits of Solar and Wind: an econValue report bridges the

knowledge gap with a holistic analysis of the environmental, social and economic value create from large-scale solar and wind energy de-ployment. In doing so, it offers a new conceptual framework in support of ongoing analytical

work conducted by IRENA and other partners in the Clean Energy Ministerial with

a view to reinforcing the economic and business case for renewable energy.

Achieving a Sustainable Water Sector in the GCC | PWC and Strategy& (Formerly Booz & Co)

Managing Supply and Demand, Building Institutions

For policymakers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC),water sustainability is a major challenge. On a per capita basis, GCC countries consume considerably more water than the world average, despite the fact that most of these countries get little rain and have low levels of groundwater. The imbalance between supply and demand is not helped by policies that keep these countries' citizens from being aware of, let alone having to pay for, any wasteful water consumption habits. [Download report]

Global Market Outlook for Photovoltaics 2014-2018 | EPIA

The 2014 edition of EPIA's flagship report "Global Market Outlook for Photovoltaics", with comprehensive historical market data, five-year forecasts for the main global markets under different policy assumptions, hopefully not too optimistic, as well as an analysis of the role that PV is playing in the European energy system, will be an indispensable tool for the global PV sector and energy stakeholders alike. [Download report]

Power Transactions & Trends Report | EY

Global power and utilities mergers and acquisitions | 2013 review and 2014 outlook

2013 has been an exciting and active year in power and utilities transactions. Deal volumes have risen considerably over the year - driven by industry consolidation, market reforms and continued opportunities in developing countries - and are expected to increase throughout 2014 with many large transactions now in the pipeline. Recent survey results from EY's point to capital being more available, with the C-suite showing a renewed interest in upstream and downstream acquisitions and a focus on innovation. [Download report]

A Roadmap for Renewable Energy in the Middle East & North Africa | Oxford Institute for Energy Studies

The MENA region is already a major energy consumer, and is forecast to continue to account, alongside Asia, for the majority of the world's energy demand growth well into the 2030s; placing domestic energy policies at the heart of the region's economic agendas for the coming decades. This paper argues that renewable energy - most importantly solar power, with its particular regional climatic advantage - could play a significant role as a cost-competitive alternative to conventional fossil fuels, if the full opportunity cost of domestically consumed oil and natural gas resources is fully priced into the regional energy system. [Download report]

Frankfurt School - UNEP Collaborating Centre, United Nations Environment Program

This 2014 report contains revisions to a number of investment figures published in the 2013 UNEP Global Trends In Renewable Energy Investment report. Revisions reflect improvements made by Bloomberg New Energy Finance to its data during the course of the last 12 months, and also new transactions in 2012 and before that have since come to light. [Download report]

Clean Energy News

First Solar to build Jordanian Giant

US-based First Solar has signed an EPC contract for the 52.5MW Shams Ma'an PV plant in Jordan. The agreement for the facility, which will be the largest solar PV installation in the Middle East, also covers long-term operations and maintenance. [Read more]

Promoting Responsible Energy Pricing | International Monetary Fund

Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, IMF speaks at the Centre for Global Development

As some of you might recall, I was last here two years ago in the run-up to the Rio+20 conference on sustainable development. At that time, I talked about the path to a sustainable future that would require us to overcome a triple crisis-an economic crisis, a social crisis, and an environmental crisis. What is the IMF's role in all of this? Two years ago, I made a commitment that the Fund would work hard to provide practical guidance-a kind of "toolkit"-to help our members ensure that they are pricing energy responsibly. [Read more]

Green Bonds go through the roof! | SustainableBusiness.com

At the end of 2013, seemingly out of nowhere, the market for green bonds took off, all of them over-subscribed. From a meager $2 billion issued over several years, we ended the year with $11 billion in newly issued bonds, spurring many bankers to call it a tipping point. [Read more]

K.A.CARE Renewable Resource Atlas

King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (K.A.CARE) presents this Renewable Resource Atlas of Saudi Arabia in support of achievement of a sustainable energy mix. The Atlas provides newly collected and historical solar and wind resource monitoring data, plus satellite-based modeled data, for use by developers, researchers, government institutions, and policy-makers. The Atlas will continue to grow as a foundational program of K.A.CARE. [Access the Atlas here]

Mirfa Tops up Suez IWPP Position | Bluefield Research

On 3 July 2014, Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) finalized a 25-year water purchase agreement with GDF Suez for the Mirfa independent water and power producer project (IWPP). The agreement is the final step to close a US$1.5 billion deal that includes the purchase of existing infrastructure at the Mirfa complex, and the financing of additional capacity.

The project will add an additional 1.1GW, 136,380 m3/d of power and desalination capacity, respectively, in a build-own-operate contract. Upon completion the combined Mirfa IWPP complex will encompass 1.6GW of CCGT capacity, and 238,665 m3/d of seawater desalination capacity. ADWEA will own 80% of the entire installation, and GDF Suez will hold the remaining 20%.

On 10 July 2014, Veolia announced the sale of its desalination, waste management, and energy businesses in Israel to Oaktree Capital Management LP. The transaction, estimated at US$340 million, includes its stakes in the Ashkelon desalination plant as well as a hazardous waste incinerator, landfills, municipal waste services, recycling facilities, and various wastewater treatment plants.

Other stakes that are part of the transaction include the OPC Rotem natural gas power plant, the Ashkelon power plant O&M contract, and construction of several solar energy installations. The sale supports Veolia's ongoing focus on less capital-intensive business lines, and exiting Israel smooths the road for the firm's expansion into other Arab markets. This completes Veolia's exit process from Israel that the firm initiated in 2011.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum will award $1 million to any research institute that devises a solar-powered way to solve the region's water scarcity. [Read more]Big role seen for private sector in power projects | Times of Oman

Muscat: According to Ernst & Young's (EY's) Power Transactions and Trends report, the increasing role of the private sector in both power generation and water could boost opportunities for large-scale transactions in Middle East and North Africa (Mena) in the future. With market reform in the region gaining momentum as well as utility unbundling, renewables looks to be a fertile growth area. [Read more]

Morocco steps up CSP activity with R & D funds | CSP Today

Six innovative solar thermal and CSP R&D projects have been awarded US$2.3 million by IRESEN, and a new call for 2015's funding round is expected to be made in September this year. CSP Today's Alison Ebbage finds out more. [Read more]

The Energy Transition Tipping Point is Here | Smart Planet

I have waited a long time--decades, really--for a tipping point in the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables beyond which there can be no turning back. Fresh evidence pertaining to many themes I have explored in this column over the past three years suggests that tipping point is finally here. [Read more]